


Holiday Party

by Rhaized



Series: Adventures of Mary and Marisa [5]
Category: His Dark Materials (TV), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, An interesting game forming, And Mary wanting Marisa's attention, Drinking, F/F, Just too fun, Kinda a crackfic maybe?, Marisa is just annoyed, Marisa just wanting all the attention, Marisa v Mary's students, Marisa v everybody, Marisa v the patriarchy, Wine, holiday party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:08:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28362927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rhaized/pseuds/Rhaized
Summary: Marisa accompanies Mary to her research unit’s holiday party, set at a local wine bar with a crowd of scientists. Mary has a few too many drinks, and it gets a little interesting.
Relationships: Marisa Coulter/Mary Malone
Series: Adventures of Mary and Marisa [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073954
Comments: 8
Kudos: 53





	Holiday Party

If she were to be entirely honest, Marisa didn’t _want_ to accompany Mary to her research unit’s holiday party. She spent the better part of an hour moping about it as she and Mary got ready for the evening. For Mary, that meant changing into a clean blazer and running a brush through her hair before reading the paper and catching up on the news. For Marisa, that meant slipping into a tasteful little red number and curling her hair and putting on a thick layer of makeup.

It was just that Marisa found these people to be profoundly _boring._ There was Oliver Payne, of course, whose entire presence reeked of his mediocre white, male privilege. Then were a few other male scientists who were equally as pathetic, and then the students. Mary and her _students._ The golden monkey growled from his perch on top of the toilet seat, knowing all too well how much it _irked_ Marisa that Mary spent so much time and energy fussing over her precious students.

“They’re like my kids,” Mary had explained to Marisa once as she was reading over a student’s dissertation chapter. “I had to teach them how to do this work and they need me to help guide them. But one day they _won’t_ need me, and they’ll be on their own doing amazing work. And I’ll be so proud of them.”

That just wasn’t a _thing_ in Marisa’s world, really. At least not with women. Marisa supposed the male Scholars might feel that way about their little male protégées, but Marisa wouldn’t know as a woman who was never taken seriously. So it struck her as odd here with Mary, even if she knew it probably it shouldn’t.

“Oh, you look absolutely gorgeous.” As Marisa came out into the living room, Mary’s eyes widened and her mouth popped opened. Marisa was quite pleased with herself, really, as she used the little makeup she was able to rummage together from a pharmacy nearby to recreate her typical sheen. Mary’s curling iron was also on the fritz and her hairspray was almost gone, but it’d done the trick.

“Thank you, darling,” Marisa drawled, although she felt increasingly dreadful as she knew they’d have to actually go to the party and deal with those insufferable people soon. “Are you ready, too?”

In a matter of minutes they were off, leaving the golden monkey at home as they took off on foot toward the local wine bar. It was early in the evening, at not even five o'clock. Still it was so _dark_ as they made their way over, as well as a bit brisk. Marisa shivered and took Mary’s arm, clasping it lightly. The other woman came closer and soon they were practically walking as one being as they found themselves in the main stretch of shops and buildings, holiday lights shimmering over at them.

“Mary!” came Oliver’s booming voice once the pair had entered the building. He came over to them with his typical, grandiose male-swagger. Marisa groaned under her breath as he came over to Mary and embraced her, placing his hand on her shoulder and kissing her cheek before offering to take her coat. Mary smiled and accepted it, as she _would,_ as polite and kind as she was. Oliver then turned to Marisa, his smile dropping just a little bit.

“Good evening, Oliver,” Marisa offered, flashing him a dazzling smile. He was captivated, as they all were, and politely nodded to her (they didn’t know each other that well, after all) before taking her coat, too, and then disappearing to go find the coat room.

“Isn’t he nice?” Mary said innocently as they made their way over to the group’s table. Marisa simply kept up her smile as they forged ahead, keeping slightly further apart now. Mary had told everyone that Marisa was a junior scholar visiting from abroad. She kept it vague, and no one asked any questions. They also didn’t share the _extent_ of their relationship, as Mary wanted to keep it under wraps as Marisa adjusted to the new world.

“Hi, Dr. Malone!” called one of the students once they were in earshot. Marisa rolled her eyes as they flocked over to Mary, her little gaggle of _students._ Three of them were her doctoral advisees (Chelsea, Martha, and Thomas) while the other three were just students who worked in her lab (Trevor and two other men whose names Marisa couldn’t bother remembering). Mary’s smile was wide as she pulled up a seat beside them, listening to their tales and catching up on all the buzz she'd missed since she'd left the office early today. Taking the hint, Marisa left and wandered over to the bar, where she picked out a few bottles of wine she could bring over to the table.

“Thanks,” Mary said as Marisa poured her a glass. She promptly turned back to her students. “Are you all good? Need a refill?”

And so it went for the first half hour or so. Mary and her students talked shop and then politics, with Oliver coming around to join them. They were the only ones there precisely on time. But closer to six o'clock more people started filing into the little bar, some Marisa recognized and some she didn’t.

“Oh, looks like chemistry is joining us,” Mary observed, her frown transforming into a smile as she waved hello to the scientists who came over to them. Marisa was introduced to each and every one of them. Much like the physicists, the chemists seemed boring—all awkwardly quiet and shy as they went about their introductions. All except one.

“This is Dr. Storrman,” Mary was saying as she introduced Marisa to a tall, dark-haired man wearing a finely-pressed suit. He vaguely reminded Marisa of Boreal, and she felt herself inwardly sneer despite the plastic smile she stitched onto her face. “He’s a biochemist.”

“Please, call me George,” the man said as he dipped his head and reached out for Marisa’s hand. He was arrogant, and so sure of himself and his _looks_ and his charm. She extended her hand to him, watching from the corner of her eye how Mary stiffened slightly at the act. “And who do I have the honor of meeting tonight?”

“Marisa Coulter,” she answered, an idea striking her. She allowed herself to giggle slightly. She again sensed Mary stiffen, and Marisa laughed, realizing how _uncomfortable_ she could make Mary in this moment. If the monkey were here, he’d warn her not to be vindictive or to be a monster. But he wasn’t here, and Marisa had just enough wine to feel entertained by her ideas. “It’s so nice to meet you. Would you care to buy me a drink?”

It was amusing, to turn briefly to Mary and see the look of discomfort on her face as George put his hand on the small of Marisa’s back and led her over to the bar. Marisa winked at her before leaning back into the man’s embrace. They sat down at the bar where she ordered the most expensive bottle of wine she could find on the menu, glancing back at Mary every so often. She’d opened up a second bottle of wine as she left her students and moved instead to her physics colleagues, who seemed looser and freer as the wine continued to flow and spirits only seemed to rise.

“And what brings you here?” George was saying to her after they’d made some polite smalltalk about what they studied and where they were from and what kind of wine they most enjoyed.

“I’m here to meet some of Mary's colleagues,” she said, still watching her.

"Just meet, or…?" His fingers found their way to hers and Marisa looked down at them. This was a very dangerous game. If she didn't nip this soon enough, this vile sap would get the wrong idea. His fingers would stray lower where they _certainly_ were not welcome. And he was so bold and fearless, too, as he scooted closer to her, his knee only just barely brushing hers. He was very close to her now.

"Yes," she laughed, eyes twinkling at him. "I'm afraid I can't get too involved in anything at the moment. Thank you so much for the wine and best of luck in your research." When she was sure Mary was looking at her again, Marisa leaned over to kiss the man's cheek before grabbing her clutch and sauntering away back to Mary, locking eyes with her and grinning devilishly.

"What was that about?" Mary grumbled as she picked up a bottle of wine. She was struggling with it, and Marisa saw how flushed her cheeks were and how dazed her eyes seemed to be.

"Nothing," Marisa answered, taking the bottle from her and emptying it neatly into Mary's glass. The other woman scowled as she refused to meet her eyes and then grabbed the glass back, causing it to slosh. "Are you alright, dear?"

"Don't call me that," Mary tossed at her.

"And why not?" Marisa shifted closer so that they were very, very close now, her nose right next to Mary's ear. No one was looking at them, as they were off to the side and everything else happening around them was _far_ more interesting than the pair of them. But still Mary stiffened, craning her head to survey their surroundings.

"Please, I'm here for work and I'm with my colleagues."

"So?" Marisa bit back a laugh as she moved her hand to tuck a strand of loose hair behind Mary's ear. The other woman shuddered, and Marisa breathed in a smile. "You can't deny me, Mary."

Electricity coursed between them then, sharp and instantaneous. Marisa felt drunk with it, far drunker than she was on the wine. After a few more seconds, however, Mary moved away from her, taking her glass and tossing Marisa a stern look. "I can. And I will."

And so the game went for the rest of the evening. Mary went back over to her colleagues and ordered even more bottles of wine. Marisa lingered nearby talking not to a group of chemists but some other random strangers who happened to be at the bar, eavesdropping on Mary's conversations.

"And so I told him, fuck you, I'll write my own damned code," she was saying after a while. A bout of laughter erupted from the group. Mary was so _feisty_ when she was drunk. Marisa loved it.

"It's all these men," another woman said then. "No offense, boys. But men never give us any credit. It's insufferable."

 _Hear, hear,_ Marisa thought, laughing politely at some joke the woman she was talking to was saying. All the while, she was listening to Mary and her colleagues with rapt attention, on the very edge of her metaphorical seat.

"Well, not _all_ of us are like that," Oliver was protesting, seemingly under the guise of good-heartedness. But Marisa knew that he felt affronted by both the woman's and Mary's claims. She could just tell, after having trailed behind men her entire life. Their wounded egos had a distinctive scent.

"Oh, don't 'not all men' me, Oliver," Mary shot to him immediately. Marisa raised her eyebrows. "If it doesn't apply to you then you wouldn't feel the need to say it. Did I strike a nerve, perhaps?"

This was getting intense now. Marisa excused herself from the conversation and moved closer to them, debating whether or not it was the right time to intervene.

"I think Mary's had a few too many glasses of wine," another man was saying.

"I don't know," the woman who'd spoken before interjected. "You're kind of a dick sometimes, Oliver."

 _"Excuse me?"_ he let out, his wine splashing as he turned around sharply to her.

"You heard her!" Mary shouted, and Marisa knew it was time.

"Pardon me, everyone," Marisa said, sliding in to stand beside Mary. "I think we'd best be going now. I'm getting very tired."

"What if I'm not ready to go?" Mary argued, finishing the glass of wine she held in her hand. Marisa took the glass and set it on the nearby high-top.

"You are," she said firmly although gently, slipping her hand over to Mary's waist. The other woman quieted at that, and Marisa knew she was fighting her dual desires: continuing her battle against mediocre white men and being with Marisa.

"I can't stand him sometimes," Mary slurred as Marisa left a thick layer of bills on the table and guided Mary over to the coat room. "He's so arrogant."

"They all are," Marisa agreed as she held Mary's coat open and helped the woman into it. "As well as mediocre and undeserving."

 _"You're_ not," Mary puffed as she finally got into her coat.

"Not what?"

"Arrogant, or mediocre." Mary hiccuped as Marisa's heart fluttered. "God, you're smarter and better than _all_ of them! They're just the _worst."_

If they weren't still in public, Marisa would have kissed her—long and hard. But they were, and Mary's reputation was incredibly important to her. _Even if she threatened it just now with her ranting against the patriarchy._

"I'll call us a cab," Marisa said softly, taking Mary's elbow and squeezing it lightly. "Just stay here, darling. I'll take care of it."

"I just love you," Mary sighed as she leaned happily against the wall, closing her eyes. She was so sweet. Marisa simply stared at her a moment, taking in her wild auburn locks and the proud set of her jaw. She was so perfect, really. Marisa felt a rare tenderness completely consume her.

Marisa called the cab and waited for it just outside the door. She peeked back inside and saw Mary's students had found her. She was hugging them and saying her goodbyes as Marisa gestured for her to come over once the car arrived. Mary ducked into the car less-than-graciously, which made Marisa snicker as she followed suit.

Marisa was wrong about the holiday party, she realized as Mary dozed off and leaned her head against Marisa's shoulder. It wasn't boring and pointless like she'd worried it would be. In its own strange way, it was _quite_ eventful, and was an occasion she'd remember for a very long time.

**Author's Note:**

> Gosh, I could write Marisa vs. the Patriarchy forever and ever. Just too fun! Hope you enjoyed, and that my Mary/Marisa ramblings aren't just entirely embarrassing and stupid, lol :D


End file.
